Monday, September 19, 2011

So, The Kid is sick. I've perused the entire Woman's Wear Daily website, done more laundry than should be allowable by labor laws, gotten some actual work done from home via computer and then decided to sit down and listen to some music. This blog post is pretty much an after thought. I did very well keeping up with it when I had a video to inspire me on what to write about every day, but then I sort of fell off. Maybe music is my key or inspiration to open up to a bunch of strangers and friends.

Perhaps I should start referring to the early-mid nineties (93 to about 97) as my Chris Connelly years.
'July' took my ears by storm and changed my perspective on him as an artist. I've got all sorts of messy relationships, cringe-worthy stories, huge mistakes, ect. all wrapped up in the memories, but I can honestly say when I listen to that particular song, all the ugly shit melts away and I'm very young and passionate again… the way a real artist is supposed to inspire you to.. well.. feel. Music made today just rarely does that to me anymore.

Of course, Revolting Cocks was amazing, but Chris Connelly just makes magic on his own. Take a listen to his masterpiece.

Then, of course, in 1994 his best album ever came out and I have not stopped listening to it since. Connelly has been often compared to Bowie due to this collection of songs, and that may be the appeal for me. Anyhow, I'm not surprised that loads of people haven't even heard of it, but everyone is missing out.

'Shipwreck' is solidly in my list of favorite top ten albums of all time. Matter of fact, if you want a soundtrack who's lyrics chronicle my downward spiral of the early to mid nineties, listen to this album from start to finish. It pretty much says it all. "The Early Nighters" is sort of self explanatory.

I know I'm putting up too many videos in one post and that there are few who will take the time to actually listen to all of them. I'm probably breaking all the blog world rules, but who gives a crap?
They're just there for the people that may want a deeper glimpse into me. And this WAS me at one time, making it a permanent part of who I am forever.

The last track of this album is 'Shipwreck' and in my humble opinion it's the best song on the album. I know, I have a pretty solid obsession with the ocean, ships, lighthouses…. I know. Songs with this sort of imagery are obviously going to touch me. While this entire album spoke to me, this particular song is firmly attached to the strangest and most alien days of my life. Not the outwardly ugly, but the really black days I drowned in for so long. If you listen to any of these songs, do yourself a favor and listen to this one. It's beautiful, painful and will haunt your dreams. They sometimes still haunt mine.

I don't always have the words to describe eras or feelings that linger attached to them (though sometimes it seems that I never really shut up)… but it never fails that I can find a song to say it for me. I'll come back and make a proper blog post soon.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

It is the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 tragedy. Of course, I remember the exact moment. Sitting on my sofa exactly three months before delivering my child, eating an apple before leaving for work and watching the news. I watched it unfold live, stunned in total horror before having to break away and make the commute downtown. I remember driving down 75 south and catching glimpses of fellow drivers on the highway, all looking stoic and numb. That was when the radio announced that the Pentagon had been hit. I recall looking up at the sky wondering what was going to come next. Of course, I remember. I don't think anyone will forget. It's our generation's version of 'Where were you when you found out Kennedy was shot?'.

Now I'm going to leave the topic. I remember quietly without fanfare and continue living my life. It's not crass, it's how I'm wired. I respect and remember the immense loss of life and shattered families, give it a solemn nod and move on. Please forgive the jump in topic. It's not flippant, I've shed more than a tear and bouts of indignant fury for the spouses left without their partners, the parents who had to bury children and the children who have had to grow up without parents. What a life changing event to witness, I can't imagine being one of the ones touched so directly by it.

I made a FB post yesterday morning. It discussed how one should never be afraid to walk away from something that isn't working for you. I give that advice out a lot, it hasn't always been so easy to follow it myself. Make no mistake, I am quite good at walking away from people. I firmly live by the notion that once someone starts becoming toxic and that effect begins to outweigh the positive influence they have on your person and quality of life, the only rational thing to do is to cut them out. I do it often and no one is immune. Of course, the result is very few long lasting relationships, but at this point in my life I'm not scared of being more alone than yesterday. I'm ok with that.

Relationships that I felt I could not function without two years ago have been severed and there is no mourning, there's only relief. See? Things change so drastically that it's futile to try and anticipate what faces will be surrounding us in our future.

No, I don't have trouble walking away from people… I've had trouble moving on from an 'era'. I've been drowning in circumstances that make me unhappy, partly from feeling a duty to stay, partly from fear of failing in future endeavors. It's only been recently that I've realized that my thirst for adventure can easily be quenched by simply taking the plunge and saying, "Fuck it." This coming year is going to rock my stability and structure to the core. I'm starting with the most obvious changes and going from there. Life feels like a journey again just by making the decision…. and it's only upon that realization that I've recognized that parts of me haven't really been living at all in the past five years or so, I've just been existing. I deserve so much more than that and the only one that can give it to me is ME.

I'm done settling. Times, they are a changing. I have absolutely no idea where I'm going next. I have no solid game plan. I'm walking away from safety and constants in the next months with no safety net to catch me if I trip and fall. All I know is that if I don't, I'll spend the rest of my life clinging to a rock instead of letting the current carry me somewhere else… (yes, Bryan, that is a nod to your advice and wisdom).

Things look new already, and the process hasn't even really started yet. For some reason, I feel like I can breath just a bit easier again.